RIDING TO SCHOOL

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 33, 8 February 1929, Page 10

RIDING TO SCHOOL

QUESTION OF COST. £90,000 SPENT LAST YEAR. CONVEYANCE OF COUNTRY PUPILS. All over the world education authorities are confronted with a steadilymounting expecliture in the conveyance of children to school in scattered country districts. Last year the Auckland Education Hoard spent £GSO in assisting the Department to transport children to and from school daily. Mr. A. Burns, chairman of the board, told the Minister of Education (Hon. H. Atmore) this morning that, if money was spent at the same rate this year, the amount would increase to £1000. This was beyond the board's means.

Small country schools were being consolidated throughout the country. so that children in scattered districts might have better advantages, said Mr. Burns. This entailed a good deal of travelling. The Department allowed 6d per head for conveyance up to three, miles, and 8d for over five miles. Those allowances were computed on the basis of horsedrawn vehicles, and were inadequate in these days of motor transportation.

"If we can't get further assistance from the Department we shall have to throw the onus on the parents, to make their own arrangements," said the chairman. He added that he believed the Department was in a better position than the parents to make contracts.

The Minister named several district* where the Department undertook the conveyance of children. He said the board had mentioned a mo-t difficult question, since the cost of conveying children was increasing yearly. Last year the transportation bill for the whole of New Zealand amounted to £70.00<i for primary school pupils, and £20.000 for secondary school girls and boys.

'In Great Britain they have a novel system income parts, where children can ride bicycles, and it works well." -aid Mr. Atmore. ''The education authorities provide children with bicycles, which they offer to seU to the parents for 3/G each at the end of four years. This encourages the children to take care of the bicycles."

Mr. Atmore promised to go into the question on his return to Wellington.